Udayagiri Jain Caves
Cave 1 (popular name Ranigumpha), whose NW corner is seen here, is the largest of the series. The monks' cells, occupying two levels, surround the courtyard on three sides (N, W, S). The small chamber in the center of the photograph (NW corner; there is another one in the SW corner, not visible here) is called a "guard station" by Huntington, p.105, which probably means that it was used by doorkeepers (like the porter of an Oxbridge college, or the concierge of a Paris apartment) to keep an eye on the resident monks' comings and goings.
The exterior of the small chamber is decorated with lively scenes of nature including elephants, birds, and mango trees with fruit.
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